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Georges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. He realized very early however that poetry in the 20th century could hardly put bread on the table and instead set himself to become a singer.
He is much less famous internationally than contemporaries like Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Yves Montand, as much of the impact of his songs came from the lyrics, which proved difficult to translate into other languages. He loved the Middle Ages and used a great deal of Old French vocabulary, as well as many classical - ie., Latin and Greek - references. Few people, even in France, possess the background to fully understand his songs.
Yet he was at the same time a hugely popular singer and many of his songs still carry a lot of appeal and relevance. In this sense, he can be compared to Boris Vian, to Jacques Brel, and to a lesser extent to Serge Gainsbourg.
He was very sophisticated, yet at the same time used profanity liberally. While he wasn't politically engaged, he was nevertheless unambiguously a leftist, many of his songs carrying blatant and buoyant anarchist overtones.
While his music was initially quite primitive, the 1950's St-Germain-des-Pres influence quickly made itself felt and while subdued and - in his mind - always secondary to the lyrics, it became increasingly sophisticated - to the point that many of his songs have been covered and reinterpretated by jazzmen (see for instance this UK site: www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk)
He died in 1981, but up to this date (2006) there are few French people - including most of those born since - who can't sing along to his most famous song, Les Copains d'abord ("Friends foremost") or his "Bancs public" ("Public Benches").
For those interested, this site carries a number of (quite good) English tranlations of his songs: www.brassens.org
He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. He realized very early however that poetry in the 20th century could hardly put bread on the table and instead set himself to become a singer.
He is much less famous internationally than contemporaries like Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Yves Montand, as much of the impact of his songs came from the lyrics, which proved difficult to translate into other languages. He loved the Middle Ages and used a great deal of Old French vocabulary, as well as many classical - ie., Latin and Greek - references. Few people, even in France, possess the background to fully understand his songs.
Yet he was at the same time a hugely popular singer and many of his songs still carry a lot of appeal and relevance. In this sense, he can be compared to Boris Vian, to Jacques Brel, and to a lesser extent to Serge Gainsbourg.
He was very sophisticated, yet at the same time used profanity liberally. While he wasn't politically engaged, he was nevertheless unambiguously a leftist, many of his songs carrying blatant and buoyant anarchist overtones.
While his music was initially quite primitive, the 1950's St-Germain-des-Pres influence quickly made itself felt and while subdued and - in his mind - always secondary to the lyrics, it became increasingly sophisticated - to the point that many of his songs have been covered and reinterpretated by jazzmen (see for instance this UK site: www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk)
He died in 1981, but up to this date (2006) there are few French people - including most of those born since - who can't sing along to his most famous song, Les Copains d'abord ("Friends foremost") or his "Bancs public" ("Public Benches").
For those interested, this site carries a number of (quite good) English tranlations of his songs: www.brassens.org
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Fernande
by Georges Brassens
Une manie de vieux garçon
Moi j'ai pris l'habitude
D'agrémenter ma sollitude
Aux accents de cette chanson
Quand je pense à Fernande
Je bande, je bande
Quand j'pense à Félicie
Je bande aussi
quand j'pense à Léonore
Mon dieu je bande encore
Mais quand j'pense à Lulu
Là je ne bande plus
La bandaison papa
Ça n'se commande pas
C'est cette mâle ritournelle
Cette antienne virile
Qui retentit dans la guérite
De la vaillante sentinelle
Afin de tromper son cafard
De voir la vie moins terne
Tout en veillant sur sa lanterne
Chante ainsi le gardien de phare
Après la prière du soir
Comme il est un peu triste
Chante ainsi le séminariste
À genoux sur son reposoire
A l'Étoile où j'était venu
Pour ranimer la flamme
J'entendis émus jusqu'au larmes
La voix du soldat inconnu
Et je vais mettre un point final
A ce chant salutaire
En suggérant au solitaire
D'en faire un hymme national
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Georges Brassens
Une manie de vieux garçon
Moi j'ai pris l'habitude
D'agrémenter ma sollitude
Aux accents de cette chanson
Quand je pense à Fernande
Je bande, je bande
Quand j'pense à Félicie
Je bande aussi
quand j'pense à Léonore
Mon dieu je bande encore
Mais quand j'pense à Lulu
Là je ne bande plus
La bandaison papa
Ça n'se commande pas
C'est cette mâle ritournelle
Cette antienne virile
Qui retentit dans la guérite
De la vaillante sentinelle
Afin de tromper son cafard
De voir la vie moins terne
Tout en veillant sur sa lanterne
Chante ainsi le gardien de phare
Après la prière du soir
Comme il est un peu triste
Chante ainsi le séminariste
À genoux sur son reposoire
A l'Étoile où j'était venu
Pour ranimer la flamme
J'entendis émus jusqu'au larmes
La voix du soldat inconnu
Et je vais mettre un point final
A ce chant salutaire
En suggérant au solitaire
D'en faire un hymme national
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
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